“She’s going OK. Her cancer is not good – but she’s as tough as they come, and she keeps fighting,” he explained.

Mark also spoke about how much he and his family value the time they can spend with Joan.

“We treasure every day with her now and just don’t look too far ahead.”

It was a candid admission from someone who has spent much of his professional life reporting on other people’s stories, but has rarely spoken so openly about the personal challenges unfolding within his own family.

THE LOSS THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING: MARK’S FATHER DIED JUST MONTHS BEFORE HIS SUNRISE EXIT

There is another heartbreaking part of Mark’s story that makes his latest comments even more poignant.

His father, David, passed away in September 2025 following a battle with cancer.

The loss came during an already difficult period, with Joan continuing her own fight against the disease.

When Mark announced his decision to leave Sunrise, he admitted that losing his father had fundamentally changed his perspective.

Speaking to Woman’s Day in December 2025, he became emotional as he reflected on what his family had experienced.

“Losing Dad [David] to cancer two months ago, and now Mum [Joan] fighting on against the disease, it’s made me see the world a little differently,” he said.

He also described the previous couple of years as particularly harrowing, acknowledging that there had been a great deal happening away from the television cameras.

For Mark, the experience of losing one parent while worrying about the health of the other had brought an uncomfortable realisation: time with the people you love cannot be taken for granted.

WHY HE WALKED AWAY FROM SUNRISE AFTER 22 YEARS

Mark’s departure from Sunrise in December 2025 surprised many Australian viewers.

After 22 years as the program’s sports presenter and three decades with the Seven Network, he had become one of the most familiar personalities on breakfast television.

His final appearance aired on December 12, 2025, marking the end of an extraordinary broadcasting chapter.

But behind the professional decision was a much more personal reason.

Mark admitted that he wanted a change and that the events unfolding within his family had made him reconsider his priorities.

“I have mixed feelings if I’m honest, and it was a very difficult decision but it was time – I’m ready to do something different and how that looks I’m still not sure,” he told Woman’s Day.

He also acknowledged that his departure involved both his own decision and the changing circumstances at the network.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, he explained that television was becoming increasingly challenging and that, after 22 years on Sunrise, he felt ready for a break.

“And, to be honest, it’s been a harrowing couple of years. There’s been a lot going on away from Sunrise and it’s time for a reset,” he said.

Leaving a program that had been such a significant part of his life was never going to be easy.

Yet the opportunity to spend more time with his family, particularly his mother, became increasingly important.

THE MOMENTS WITH HIS MUM THAT NOW MEAN MORE THAN EVER

Since stepping away from morning television, Mark has been able to spend more precious time with Joan at her home in Geelong, Victoria.

In March 2026, he spoke to Woman’s Day about how his new routine had allowed him to focus on things that had previously been difficult to fit around the demands of breakfast television.

Even though he still found himself waking up extremely early, instead of heading into the studio, he could get on his bike and begin training.

One particularly meaningful moment was planned during his Tour de Cure cycling journey, which passed through Geelong.

Mark admitted that stopping to see his mother during the ride would be an emotional experience.

“She’s got Stage 4 ovarian cancer and she’s been a bit of a miracle,” he said.

For someone who had spent years travelling for sporting events and working to demanding television schedules, being able to visit his mother without the same professional commitments represented a precious change.

He spoke about wanting to make the most of the time they had together, rather than constantly looking towards the future.

And that sentiment would become a recurring theme in his later interview.

TURNING HIS FAMILY’S HEARTACHE INTO A FIGHT FOR OTHER FAMILIES

There is another reason Mark has continued to dedicate so much of his time to cancer awareness and research.

He has been involved with Tour de Cure for almost two decades, but the cause has become deeply personal following his parents’ experiences.

In March 2026, Mark and his partner, Renata Hickson, took part in the organisation’s nine-day Signature Tour, cycling approximately 1,400 kilometres from Canberra to Hobart.

The journey brought together more than 200 cyclists and support crew, raising money for cancer research, prevention programs and support services.

For Mark, the ride was no longer simply a sporting challenge.

It was a tribute to his late father and an opportunity to help improve the future for people like his mother.

“When I started 17 years ago we had no history of cancer in the family, and now we’ve lost Dad and Mum did her own fight, so it really, really changes your focus,” he told Woman’s Day.

He wanted to help fund research into better treatments, hoping that other families might be spared some of the experiences his own had endured.

By June 2026, Mark and Renata’s team had helped raise more than $103,000 through the fundraising effort.

And he made it clear that he had no intention of stopping.

“It’s been really personal, and for that reason I can’t stop, so I’ll keep going until they can’t lift me on the bike anymore,” he said.

He explained that every kilometre carried a personal meaning.

“It just makes sense, and now I ride as a tribute to Dad, and to help raise funds so other people don’t go through what he did.”

He also added that raising money to continue research into treatments for his mother gave him an even stronger reason to keep going.

A DIFFERENT CHAPTER — AND ONE THING HE WANTS TO HOLD ONTO

Mark’s life after Sunrise has brought significant changes.

He has stepped away from the early-morning television routine, found more time for cycling and continued exploring opportunities outside the daily demands of breakfast broadcasting.

But when speaking about what matters most, his thoughts repeatedly return to his family.

In his June interview, he revealed that spending time with Joan in Geelong was one of the things he treasured most about his new life.

His words about his mother were not about giving up hope.

They were about recognising the importance of the present, particularly when the future is uncertain.

There are no easy answers when someone you love is living with an advanced illness. Mark has experienced the pain of losing his father, while continuing to watch his mother face her own difficult battle.

Yet through his work with Tour de Cure, he has found a way to turn some of that heartache into something meaningful for others.

And perhaps that is what makes his description of Joan so powerful.

Her oncologist calls her “the miracle”.

Mark sees a woman who has endured years of uncertainty and continues to show extraordinary strength.

But above all, he sees his mum – someone whose presence matters more than any television career, sporting achievement or professional milestone.

“We treasure every day with her now and just don’t look too far ahead.”

For Mark Beretta, those words seem to say everything about what truly matters in this chapter of his life.